Assignment Notes

Essay 4 is a 1000-word argumentation.

Due Date: This is your final paper. Our target date to get this in is by the end of Dec 9, Tuesday of Finals Week.

Format
• Your essay must be typed and double spaced.
• The font size should be twelve and the font style should be Times new roman or Arial.
• Please format according to MLA style.
• Please construct a separate Works Cited page
What is the Assignment?
You’ll write an argument in response to one essay from the list given below. Scroll down to the second-last box to see the titles. Choose what you like and can connect with.

Don't re-explain the essay. Make an argument about the topic. You could agree or disagree with what the author says, or you could even take the topic of the essay and focus on arguing about the topic itself. In other words, don't analyze the reading. Create your own new argument about it.

Remember: You're simply adding your two cents to the topic argued by the author, and you're making an argument.

Essentially, you'll put in your opinion in the form of an argument on the topic addressed by the author, and as you give your opinion, it's important to refer back to the author.

Outside research is not necessary, but if you want to research and bring in one or two sources, that's acceptable.

Follow the elements you've mastered so far:

• An introduction that summarizes the issue
• A thesis statement that takes a stand
• Paragraphs that explain, argue, and prove your point of view.
• State a counter argument and refute that counter argument.

Three points extra credit to papers that annotate the above-mentioned bullet points

Essay 4 (Final Paper); Target Date: Dec 9, Tuesday (Grace period of 24 hrs); if you submit on Dec 9, you get two extra credit points; if you submit on Dec 10, you'll not get the two extra-credit points, but you won't lose any points either; try not to delay beyond Dec 10 as I'm required to do much reading and grading. In case you have an emergency, please try your best to contact me.

Due 11/23 Requires 3-4 sources, 2 scholarly.
"Write a fifteen-hundred-word research-based argument that’s either a Definition argument or an Evaluation argument, or a Causal argument or a Proposal argument. Place the type of argument in the subtitle of your essay."

Definition arguments describe the nature of something or identify a pattern or trend. Generally speaking, they answer the
question, “What is it?”
Evaluation arguments assess something according to particular criteria. They answer the question, “How good or bad is it?”
Causal arguments attempt to show that one thing leads to or has led to another. They answer the question, “What caused it?”
Proposal arguments present a case for action. They answer the question, “What should we do about it?"

Students may choose from two ways to write it:
Methodology A
You can summarize the resources you’ve researched in the introduction and state your thesis. With this method, you’re responding to your researched articles. Responding is what you’ve done in Essay 1 and Essay 2, so if you found four excellent resources on your topic and you know what you’ll argue about, you can use one or two of those essays as the foundation of your paper—that is—the papers you’ll respond to, and you can use the other resources for supporting your argument or defeating your opposition.

Methodology B
You can begin with setting up the context in free style. That means you don’t need to summarize your reference(s). After setting up the context, state your thesis and begin proving your argument.

Due 10/27 ~ Two peer-reviewed sources ~ 1,500-word essay.
"Goal: Write a fifteen-hundred-word argument by comparing-and-or-contrasting two to three essays we’ve read Week 5 onwards. We’ll incorporate peer-reviewed research for this paper (two resources required).
Purpose: To argue by incorporating a clear thesis with the right support, anticipating counterarguments, and refuting them; to illuminate subtle differences or unexpected similarities between the chosen essays, to enhance the audience’s understanding of the essays, and to provide useful knowledge to the reader."

Write an Argument in Response to an Essay we’ve Read; research and use two substantive sources in your paper. Due 9/21/25